WILL GOD EXCUSE THE HEATHERN THAT HAVE NEVER HEARD ABOUT HIM?
Here in Romans 1:18-32
Paul has both good news and bad news for the world. The good news is that God has provided atonement for lost mans sins. The bad news, which he writes of first, is that all men need atonement for their sins.
· First of all what is atonement someone may be wondering
ATONEMENT is the act by which God restores a relationship of harmony and unity between Himself and human beings. The word can be broken into three parts that express this great truth in simple terms: “at-one-ment.” Through God’s atoning grace and forgiveness, we are reinstated to a relationship of at-one-ment with God, in spite of our sin.
The word is found only one time in the NEW TESTEMENT AND 80 times in the Old Testament.
ROM. 5:11 11And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom we have now received the atonement
Because of Adam’s sin (Rom. 5:18; 1 Cor. 15:22) and our own personal sins (Col. 1:21), no one is worthy of relationship with THE HOLY GOD (Eccl. 7:20; 20For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Rom. 3:23 23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Since we are helpless to correct this situation (Prov. 20:9) and can do nothing to hide our sin from God (Heb. 4:13), we all stand condemned by sin (Rom. 3:19).
It is human nature (our sinfulness) and God’s nature (His holy wrath against sin) that makes us “enemies” (Rom. 5:10 10For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.).
God’s gracious response to the helplessness of His chosen people, the nation of Israel, was to give them a means of Reconciliation through Old Testament covenant Law. This came in the sacrificial system where the death or “blood” of the animal was accepted by God as a substitute for the death (Ezek. 18:20) that the sinner deserved: “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls” (Lev. 17:11).
In the Old Testament, God Himself brought about atonement by graciously providing the appointed sacrifices.
Although Old Testament believers were truly forgiven and received genuine atonement through animal sacrifices, which were pointing to the LAMB OF GOD that was to come, the New Testament clearly states that during the Old Testament period God’s justice was not served: “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins” (Heb. 10:4).
Atonement was possible “because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed” (Rom. 3:25 25Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation {an atoning victim} through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; {tolerance}
God’s justice was served in the death of Jesus Christ as THE SUPREME SACRIFICE & Substitute: “Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption” (Heb. 9:12).
Christ loved us and gave Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God” (Eph. 5:2), so that those who believe in Him (Rom. 3:22) might receive atonement and--- “be saved from [God’s] wrath” (Rom. 5:9) through “the precious blood of Christ” (1 Pet. 1:19).
No believer who truly understands the awesome holiness of God’s wrath and the terrible hopelessness that comes from personal sin can fail to be overwhelmed by the deep love of Jesus for each of us, and the wonder of God’s gracious gift of eternal atonement through Christ.
Through Jesus, God will present us “faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy” (Jude 24).
Listen as I read today’s text found in Romans 1:18-32
18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19Because that which may be known of God is manifest{publicly,apparent} in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Man conceives the idol, but man is deceived by the idol.
~The Lord hands men over to the consequences of that which they have chosen for themselves. When men choose an evil manner of life, they also choose the consequences such a manner of life brings. ~
24Wherefore{ for which cause} God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: [sensual enslavement] 25Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, [spiritual enslavement]" who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly,{ indecent;} and receiving in themselves that recompence{due penalty} of their error which was meet.{was binding}
28 and even as they did not like to retain{to acknowledge} God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate{ “incapable of judgement or discernment.”}mind, to do those things which are not convenient;{ becoming:fit} [The refusal was a self-willed choice after a definite consideration of the circumstances. Men preferred sin over God.],
29Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; {depravity}full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity;
{ bad character,} whisperers, 30Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable,{ truce-breaker.} unmerciful:
32Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them
Paul has given two reasons why the man without God is lost and deserving of condemnation: (1) because of the revelation of God in nature (vss. 19–20); and (2) because of the revelation of God in their conscience (vss. 21–23).
The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all who suppress the truth of these two witnesses.
To the heathen who does not suppress this fundamental light, the Lord Jehovah grants additional enlightenment of His person to them. But whoever is guilty of suppressing the available truth about God does not receive light unto salvation.
· Ungodliness and unrighteousness of men: “Ungodliness” has to do with religion, our relation to a sovereign God.
· “Unrighteousness” has to do with morality, our relation to our fellowman
· Ungodliness is sin against God Himself.
· Unrighteousness is sin against the will of God. Man is both a religious sinner (he is ungodly) and a moral sinner (he is unrighteous).
The unrighteous man lives as if there were no will of God revealed. The ungodly man lives as if there were no God at all. God’s wrath is against both.
The apostle Paul now anticipates the question: “If these ungodly men do not have full knowledge of God, are they then really lost?”
The key word in Paul’s answer is the first word of verse 19, Because.
· Paul now presents two lines of argument, which will prove that the condemnation of the sinner does not rest upon the depth of his knowledge of God but upon what use he makes of that knowledge.
Vs. 19 Because That which may be known of God is manifest in them. Paul’s first reason that the heathen are lost (or any man who willingly suppresses the knowledge of God) is because of the revelation of God in nature. Man has a sufficient knowledge of God to make him responsible to God. That knowledge arises from the fact that the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen. Ps 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. 2Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. 3There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. 4Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.
Man’s mind is capable of drawing obvious conclusions from effect to cause.
But to the animals below us the phenomena of nature may just be a spectacle before their eyes, but make no impression on their minds.
In Rom.1:18 he begins by writing about man’s self-righteousness. His aim is to show that the whole world is morally bankrupt, unable to receive a favorable verdict at the Judgment bar of God, and desperately in need of divine mercy and justification.
So if the heathen yonder in the deepest jungle don’t have a full knowledge of God, are they really lost?
I. THE HEATHEN HAVE CLEARLY SEEN the handy work of GOD (1:18-20).
(v. 18-20).18 "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness" 19Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Paul contends that the heathen have had the righteousness of God revealed to them, yet they suppress the truth of His righteousness for they are ungodly and unrighteous.
A. God is known by mans in-tu-ition.
v. 19"Because that which may be known of God is manifest{publicly,apparent} in them"
Its been said” “Many missionaries point out that the heathen know more than we think. They know that there is a God. There are no atheists among heathen tribes. There has never been discovered upon earth a tribe of people, however small or depraved, which has not believed in some kind of god or had some system or worship. . . . The heathen found in so-called primitive tribes know that they have sinned. When a Christian comes to them and talks about sin he often finds ready acknowledgment that this is true.
The heathen seem to know that their sins must be punished. They seem afraid of punishment, and afraid of death (as are most men everywhere). They know that sin must be atoned for, and they seek ways of appeasing their angry deities or deity.”
B. God is seen in creation
Abraham Lincoln said, “I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say there is no God.”
Job declared, in Job 12:7-9.
“But ask the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee. Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this
Although God is invisible, the qualities of His nature “are clearly seen.” Everything in the universe that people can perceive with their senses has the mark of God upon it and bears witness to His power and deity.
There can be no comparison between God’s witness to Himself in creation and His witness to Himself in redemption.
· Creation will tell us somewhat of the work of His hands; but Calvary alone unveils His heart.
It was the purpose of God to remove from man all possible excuse for ignorance of Himself.
II. THE HEATHEN HAVE CLEARLY REJECTED GOD (1:21-23).
"Because that, when they knew God, [Man began with knowledge, not ignorance, of God’s Being and character.] they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; [The natural creation was intended to lead man to glorify God and to express gratitude to Him.] but became vain [useless] in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed [They exchanged one thing for another.] the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things [We see the folly of their exchange—they exchanged the uncorruptible for the corruptible.]" (vv. 21-23).
Since all nations come from one original family it follows that all nations once had some knowledge of the truth originally given to mankind.
--W. E. Vine writes, “Man is essentially constituted a worshipper. If he abandons the worship of God, some other object will be found to take the place of the Creator.”
--To reject God, to turn away from the light, naturally brings darkness.
Here we see the beginning of idolatry.
John Phillips gives an example of the irrational thinking that comes when the One True God is not accepted or known:
"In India all things are looked upon as sacred. Snakes and crocodiles, monkeys and cows are all venerated in varying degrees. To kill a cow is as bad as murder, and to-- eat its flesh is an act of cannibalism. India cannot feed its own starving millions, yet two hundred million head of cattle are allowed to wander far and wide competing with man for food and damaging standing crops. Not even the government of India can liberate the nation from the cow’s divinity, its efforts to do so being met with stubborn opposition from the deluded people."
~Another example of the foolishness of the man who rejects God is the theory of evolution. One reason why it has such a hypnotic effect on the mind of modern man, despite its shortcomings and continued “missing links,” is that it gives man a working hypothesis for atheism. The unbeliever can “explain” the universe in terms of natural causes. The theory is plausible enough to convince those who wish to be convinced. ~
